Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1887-12-09
CONGRESS AND THE MESSAGE

The Fiftieth Congress convened at Wash
ington on Monday last. The Democratic
caucus nominees were all elected, who are
as follows; John G. Carlisle, of Kentucky,
Speaker of the House; John B. Clark, of
Missouri, Clerk; j. P. Leedom, of Ohio, Ser
geant-at-Arms; A. B. Hurt, of Mississippi,
Doorkeeper; Lycurgus Dalton, Postmaster ;
w. H. Milburn, Chaplain. Congressman
Blsunt and Breckenridge, through their
warm advocacy OF opposing candidates for
the position ofDoorkeeper, engaged in fisti-
cuff in the caucus. The difficulty was after
wards amlcably settled.
The general expression of opinion by the
Democrats of the country is favorable to
Mr.. Cleveland's address to Congress, and
the one sentiment is that 1t is the winning
card in 1888. The Republicans, of course,
have to say something on such an important
matter and profess to be pleased with it be.
cause it is a weak plank for the Democracy
to stand upon in the Presidential canvass.
Annexed is synopsis Of the address taken
from the Baltimore San:
The message addressed by the President
to Congress Tuesday last discusses briefly
and forcibly the one topic of tariff reform
Every other subject Is excluded in order
that Congress may be able to comprehend
fully the absolute and pressing necessity of
immediate consideration OF "the state of the
Union" as shown In the present condition
of the treasury. AS demonstration Of the
paramount importance of fiscal legislation
Al afAd - h., II -. -
>sgrnwing surplus, through reduction of tar
If taxes. the message is unanswerable. On
the Both Of June next the sum in the federal
treasury over and sbove the needs of the
government will be $l40,000,000. Hitherto
the accumulation of money has been TO
great extent prevented by the redemption of
matured bonds and the purchases required
for the sinking fund, but in the future this
resource will be cut off by the fact that there
are no more bonds subject to call, and BUR.
chases of unmatured bonds authorized by
law for the sinking fund will consume but
small fraction OF the estimated surplus. II
is not clear that the Secretary of the Tresu-
~ has authority to go into the market to
\ buy bonds at premium beyond the require.
ments Of the sinking fund, and If he had
that authority, the exercise of ii would be
OF doubtful expectancy. Owing TO grave
financial disturbance, caused in part by the
accumulation Of funds In the treasury, $18.
)B77 800 was expended In July last, immedi.
ately upon the opening of the fiscal year,
forsbonds for the sinking fund, and this ex.
penditure not having relieved the distress
at the money centres, $27, 1884, 1888 was short
: ty after expended for four and four aud a.
half per cent. bonds, the annual contribu.
ton to the sinking fund being thus com.
pleted. The government was able TO give
some additional relief by preparing interest
and by increasing the governments depos-
its in certain banks, but beyond this the
government could not go, and the country
is now face to face with surplus which,
under existing fiscal laws, must continue
TO increase, 70 the great risk of every i'm.
porlant interest In the country. The pur-
chase of bonds at premium being unau.
thorized by any general law, the immediate
reduction Of the governments income by
suitable legislation is imperatively necessa
ny. The reduction is TO be effected, not by
removing the internal taxes on luxuries,
such as whisky, beer and tobacco, but by
reducing the tariff taxes on the necessaries
OF life consumed by the poor, and those also
on the raw materials Of manufactures The
greater good of the greater number will
thus be consulted without injury to the
manufacturing capitalists or TO the wage.
cdFucT. 4 ne pTcSent thflu DcdTe nhrQlY up
..Sn the poor, increasing largely the price of
4sRery article they buy, and benefits but few
Mrsons.
"a The last census showed that there were
IA $4,000 Of our population engaged In all
kinds of industries, 1870, 493 being engaged
In agriculture, 4,074 ,238 in professional and
personal service, and $780, 56 in trade and
transportation, while the number engaged
in occupations 10 which the foreigner can
compete is but 2623, 089. 10 these the ap
peal is always made TO resist change, the
idea being held out that lower tariff rate
means lower wages. This is delusive, as the
history OF this country under q tariff far
lower than any nowadays practicable abun-
dainty shows. A lower tariff means wider
markets. more constant employment and bet.
ter wages. But that the tariff is unnecessa-
5 rily high is shown by the fact that there are
manufacturers who make money selling their
wares under the prices the tariff rates would
enable them 10 command, and that the steel